(EP PETI) Parliament urges European Personnel Selection Office to review testing methods

Date of article: 02/12/2025

Daily News of: 02/12/2025

Country:  EUROPE

Author:

Article language: en

  • MEPs condemn repeated technical, organisational and procedural faults in EPSO’s selection procedures

  • Urge EPSO to review testing methods and reintroduce certified on-site facilities

  • Digital technology and AI tools must always remain under human oversight

On Thursday, MEPs adopted a resolution calling for urgent measures to restore integrity, transparency and credibility of the European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO).

In a resolution adopted on Thursday by show of hands, MEPs strongly condemn the repeated technical, organisational and procedural failures that have affected EPSO selection procedures, causing reputational damage to the EU civil service and distress to affected candidates.

Unreliable remote testing

Since the introduction of remote testing during the COVID-19 pandemic, EPSO’s selection procedures have been marked by repeated platform deficiencies and inconsistent communication to candidates on technical issues. MEPs call on the Commission to conduct an independent assessment of EPSO’s management, IT systems, outsourcing practices to external contractors, and handling of candidates’ complaints.

They urge EPSO to restore certified on-site test facilities, which have previously proven reliable, and to offer them as an alternative to remote testing. MEPs also warn that full reliance on computer-based exams risks creating new forms of discrimination linked to varying levels of digital proficiency.

Parliament rejects any attempt to automate procedures that affect candidates’ fundamental rights and urges EPSO to review its testing methods to ensure that all digital technology and AI tools are subject to continuous human oversight.

Candidates’ selection and feedback

Recognising the negative impact of EPSO’s mismanagement on candidates’ psychological well-being and financial situation, MEPs ask the Commission to find appropriate solutions, including retesting, for all those affected by test cancellation, IT issues or technical delays.

The resolution also criticises the current system, which requires candidates to pass generic computer-based tests before demonstrating subject-specific knowledge. MEPs warn this may exclude qualified candidates for specific posts within the EU institutions.

The increased reliance of temporary staff and contract is a direct consequence of EPSO’s inefficiency, MEPs argue, and urgent measures are needed to reverse this trend and guarantee dignified and secure working conditions within the EU.

Quote

“The aim of this resolution is to contribute constructively to restoring trust and ensure equal and fair opportunities for all EU citizens in the recruitment processes. We call for greater transparency, clear communication, more technological solutions and stronger guarantees for candidates, including those with disabilities and special needs. Every candidate must be able to demonstrate their abilities under fair and stable conditions,” said Bogdan Rzońca (ECR, PL), Petitions’ Committee Chair, during the plenary debate.

Background

EPSO is the body responsible for selecting staff for EU institutions, bodies and agencies. In several enquiries, the European Ombudsman concluded that EPSO committed maladministration in its handling of cases concerning remote testing procedures, platform deficiencies and inconsistent communication regarding technical issues.Between 2019 and 2023, 35% fewer EPSO competitions were launched and 38% fewer were completed compared to the previous five years. During the same time frame, the number of temporary staff employed in permanent post as increased significantly - 192% increase at the Commission, 256% in the Council and 89% in Parliament.

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Protocollo d’intesa tra Difensore Civico della Lombardia e Federcasa Lombardia: un nuovo passo verso tutela, ascolto e vicinanza ai cittadini.

Date of article: 02/12/2025

Daily News of: 02/12/2025

Country:  Italy

Author: Italian National Coordination Body of Regional and Autonomous Provinces Ombudsmen

Article language: it

The Memorandum of Understanding between the Ombudsman of the Lombardy Region and Federcasa Lombardia was signed in Milan at Palazzo Pirelli, an agreement that strengthens the already active collaboration between the Regional Council and the ALER system, with the aim of promoting the culture of civic defence, improving mediation between citizens and public administration and making the protection service more accessible.

The signing was attended by the Regional Ombudsman, Lawyer Gianalberico De Vecchi, the Regional Councillor for Housing Paolo Franco, and the President of Federcasa Lombardia and Aler Bergamo-Lecco-Sondrio Corrado Zambelli, representing the five Lombard Aler members.

The Protocol provides for the possibility of activating, within the Aler territorial offices, information points and listening desks dedicated to citizens.
An initiative that brings the Ombudsman closer to people in a concrete way, especially those who live in complex or fragile contexts, facilitating access to services, mediation and useful information.

The shared objective is twofold:

  • to spread knowledge of Civic Defence as a tool for protection, conflict prevention and guarantee of rights;
  • to encourage a direct and qualified dialogue between users and public administration, promoting a management model based on transparency, participation and responsibility.

"This Protocol represents a decisive step in the path of rapprochement between institutions and citizens - said the Ombudsman of Lombardy, Lawyer Gianalberico De Vecchi -. Bringing the Civic Defense into the territorial offices of the ALER means offering listening, protection and guidance where real and often complex needs emerge.
I thank Federcasa Lombardia and the Region for sharing this vision: working together allows us to build a fairer, more transparent and closer to the people system".

 

 

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Significant failings by Swansea Bay University Health Board and Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board in managing orthopaedic surgery waiting lists

Date of article: 04/12/2025

Daily News of: 05/12/2025

Country:  United Kingdom - Wales

Author:

Article language: en

We publish today two public interest reports concerning significant failings by Swansea Bay University Health Board and Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board in managing orthopaedic surgery waiting lists. In both cases, patients were removed from waiting lists inappropriately and without being informed, contrary to Welsh Government’s Rules for Managing Referral to Treatment Waiting Times.

 

 

The first report finds that Swansea Bay University Health Board inappropriately re-set Mr W’s waiting time clock for knee surgery without informing him. As a result, he has now lost the opportunity to undergo surgery.

 

 

The second report finds that, due to administrative errors, Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board removed Mr B from its hip surgery waiting lists without his knowledge, after he had already been waiting 19 months. The reason for this removal is not clear from the Health Board’s records.

 

Michelle Morris, the Ombudsman, said:

“These cases show the very real human impact of poor administration. Patients were removed from, or had their waiting times reset on, orthopaedic surgery lists without being informed, contrary to national guidance, causing unnecessary pain, anxiety and uncertainty.

In the Swansea Bay case, Mr W contacted my office after seeing media coverage of three Public Interest reports we issued earlier this year on the Health Board’s management of orthopaedic waiting lists, in which the Health Board had committed that no patient would wait more than three years by the end of March 2024. At that point, he had already been waiting five years and four months.

Those earlier reports recommended a full audit of the waiting list to identify any further errors, including inappropriate resetting of waiting times or removal from the list. It is deeply concerning that further errors have now been found despite that audit, raising serious questions about its reliability.”

The First Report – Swansea Bay University Health Board – 202407678

Our report issued today finds patient lost opportunity for knee surgery after waiting time clock was wrongly re-set in October 2023.

The complaint

Mr W complained about a delay in receiving a total knee replacement surgery from Swansea Bay University Health Board, which he had been waiting for since August 2019. The investigation considered whether his waiting time was managed appropriately under the Welsh Government’s Rules for Managing Referral to Treatment Waiting Times, specifically when his waiting time clock was re-set in October 2023.

What we found

We found that Mr W’s waiting time clock was inappropriately re-set in October 2023. There was no evidence that a clinician had documented he was medically unfit to proceed with surgery. A repeat scan, required due to the time he had waited, confirmed his fitness for surgery.

The decision to re-set the waiting time clock was not communicated to Mr W; he only became aware when he made a complaint. As a result, he experienced pain, reduced mobility, and ongoing frustration. He is now unable to proceed with surgery, representing a serious and ongoing injustice.

In January 2024, our office published three public interest reports into the Health Board’s orthopaedic waiting list management. Each case found patients had been treated unfairly due to administrative errors. One of the recommendations contained within those reports was that the Health Board audit its waiting list to establish whether any other errors had been made relating to the resetting of waiting list times or improper removal from the list. It is concerning that further mistakes occurred despite this audit, raising questions about its reliability.

Commenting on the report, Public Services Ombudsman for Wales, Michelle Morris, said:

“Mr W had seen in the media that this office had previously investigated cases where patients were treated unfairly by the Health Board, and that the Health Board had promised no patient would wait more than three years by March 2024. It must have been a huge shock for him to learn his waiting time was recorded as just over 60 weeks, when he had believed he had been waiting more than five years.

The Health Board has provided no evidence that a clinician deemed him medically unfit in October 2023. The multiple errors in managing his case are deeply concerning and point to wider systemic failings in the Health Board’s management of waiting lists and application of RTT guidance.”

Our recommendations

We made a number of recommendations, all of which the Health Board accepted. These included:

  • apologising to Mr W and sharing the report with staff.
  • appointing an independent person to re-audit the orthopaedic waiting list, to identify and correct any further errors, and agree the audit scope with the Ombudsman before it begins.
  • providing staff training to ensure RTT guidance is correctly applied in similar cases.
  • sharing the report with its Board, which should appoint a Committee to oversee compliance with these recommendations.

The Second Report – Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board – 202400797

Our report issued today finds administrative errors caused a patient to be removed from the orthopaedic surgery waiting list after already waiting 19 months.

The complaint

Ms A complained about Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board’s delay in hip surgery for her father, Mr B. Mr B was told that his care had been transferred to a neighbouring health board. However, enquiries revealed that he was not on the surgery waiting list at either health board.

What we found

Our investigation considered whether Mr B’s hip surgery had been delayed due to administrative, rather than clinical, reasons. It found that, without his knowledge, Mr B had been removed from the orthopaedic surgery waiting list after already waiting 19 months. The reason for this is not clear from the Health Board’s records.

We were concerned that Mr B had not been notified about his removal from the list (as required by national guidance), and that the Health Board had failed to rectify the situation for over a year, despite complaints being made. We concluded that this constituted maladministration, resulting in a considerably longer wait for surgery.

Commenting on the report, Public Services Ombudsman for Wales, Michelle Morris, said:

“Mr B was removed from the waiting list due to administrative errors by the Health Board, not for any documented clinical reason. During this time he experienced considerable pain, and the uncertainty over which Health Board was responsible for his care added further stress for him and distress for his daughter, who watched him wait without clarity or resolution.

This case highlights serious concerns about how waiting lists are managed and how waiting times are recorded and communicated by the Health Board. The inconsistency in recording data and lack of transparency with patients is unacceptable and undermines trust in the system.

The numerous failings highlighted in this investigation, and the Health Board’s inability to address or explain the situation even after becoming aware of it, suggest that other patients may have been similarly affected. Whilst it may be understandable for an error to have occurred during the transfer of patients to the second Health Board, it is deeply concerning that the Health Board neither recognised nor corrected the mistake.”

Our recommendations

We made a number of recommendations, all of which the Health Board accepted. These included:

  1. Apologising to Ms A and Mr B.
  2. Providing financial redress to Mr B to reflect the stress caused and the additional pain he suffered.
  3. Providing evidence that it has audited its surgery waiting lists and the transferred patient lists to ensure no other surgery patients were similarly overlooked or wrongly removed.
  4. Sharing the report with its Board, which should appoint a Committee to oversee compliance with recommendation 3.
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The Flemish Ombudsman highlights the importance of digital inclusion on radio program

Date of article: 01/12/2025

Daily News of: 05/12/2025

Country:  Belgium - Flanders

Author:

Article language: en

The Flemish Ombudsman Service has been promoting the theme of digital inclusion for years. Digital inclusion means that everyone can participate in the digital society, regardless of age, income, or educational level. Yet recent figures show that 40% of the population is digitally vulnerable. This creates problems for some people when applying for grants, accessing information, and exercising their rights.

On Monday, 1 December 2025, Myriam Parys, Flemish Ombudsman, provided insights into these challenges on the Flemish radio program WinWin. Parys outlined examples of digital procedures that citizens struggle with and called on the Flemish government to continue opting for hybrid services.

What does the Flemish Ombudsman do?

The Flemish Ombudsman identifies bottlenecks related to digital inclusion and reports them in annual reports and recommendations. In addition, the service advises administrations to:

  • Continue to invest in hybrid services (both digital and physical): digital channels where possible, physical counters where necessary.
  • Ensure that people can still speak to a person and explain their case.
  • Communicate clearly and transparently.
  • Provide tailored support: digital access points, local helpdesks, and telephone helplines.
  • Respect the right to make mistakes: citizens should be able to correct errors without severe consequences.

The Flemish Ombudsman remains committed to raising awareness on this topic among government bodies and administrations in the future.

“Digital inclusion is a basic condition for giving everyone equal opportunities. It’s not just about technology, but about trust and accessibility.”
— Myriam Parys, Flemish Ombudsman

Why is this important?

Digital inclusion ensures that everyone can participate in the digital society, regardless of age, income, or education. Yet recent figures show that 40% of the population is digitally vulnerable. This leads to problems for some people when applying for grants, accessing information, and exercising rights. Those who cannot keep up digitally risk being left behind: something we want to avoid.

Figures that deserve attention:

  • 18% of adults in Flanders and Brussels are functionally illiterate.
  • 1 in 4 Flemish people avoid digital applications because they are unfamiliar with them.
  • 10% of Flemish people never use online government applications.
  • 18% of Flemish people who struggle with digital tools rarely or never ask for help.

 

What Is the Flemish Government doing?

In recent years, the Flemish government has strongly focused on digitizing services, bringing many benefits for citizens. Examples include automatic allocation and processing of procedures and services that can be accessed from home 24/7.

This digitalization offers convenience and efficiency but also creates a digital divide. Grants that can only be applied for digitally, such as those for zero-emission vehicles, Mijn VerbouwPremie, and discount vouchers for energy-efficient appliances (“fridge voucher”) generate many complaints from people who struggle with digital procedures.

Therefore, the government must ensure that everyone can apply for such grants and exercise their rights. This can be achieved by providing diverse channels tailored to citizens’ needs. There are already good examples: service vouchers can be requested digitally but also by phone or email. Public transport company De Lijn is working on an even more user-friendly app. Fortunately, there are many such positive examples.

Currently, the Flemish government is working on a charter outlining how services should look in the future. The Flemish Ombudsman Service does not ask for physical counters everywhere again but insists that the charter includes the possibility for people to speak to a person and explain their case. Give citizens the choice: digital where possible, personal where necessary.

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El Síndic abre una actuación de oficio por posible discriminación territorial a pacientes de ictus

Date of article: 04/12/2025

Daily News of: 05/12/2025

Country:  Spain - Catalonia

Author:

Article language: es

Lleida y Tarragona no ofrecen las mismas oportunidades de tratamiento que Barcelona y Girona durante una parte del día y los fines de semana
 

El Síndic de Greuges de Cataluña ha abierto una actuación de oficio para conocer la cobertura de la trombectomía mecánica en Cataluña, una de las técnicas más efectivas para reducir las secuelas de pacientes de ictus.

De acuerdo con la información de la que dispone la institución, este tratamiento no es homogéneo en todo el territorio catalán: Barcelona y Girona lo ofrecen las 24 horas, siete días a la semana, pero los hospitales de referencia de Lleida y Tarragona solo lo ofrecen en horarios limitados y nunca en fin de semana.

Esto obliga a muchos pacientes de ictus a tratarse en Barcelona, ​​con el posible retraso asistencial que comporta, aunque la evidencia científica demuestra que el retraso en el inicio del tratamiento de ictus reduce significativamente las posibilidades de recuperación.

El ictus es la segunda causa de muerte en Cataluña y la primera de discapacidad permanente en adultos. La rapidez en la atención es un factor determinante para la conservación de la autonomía del paciente e insistimos en que la trombectomía mecánica es una de las técnicas más eficaces para su tratamiento. 

Por todo ello, la síndica quiere saber si está previsto prestar este servicio de 24 horas en Lleida y Tarragona, y si existen datos por territorio de las secuelas de los pacientes de ictus. También pide que se estudie ampliar este servicio a las zonas más extremas del país, como Les Terres de l'Ebre.

En palabras de la síndica: “hay que asegurar que todas las personas, independientemente del territorio en el que viven, tengan acceso a los tratamientos que pueden evitar discapacidades graves o salvar vidas”.

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